Giving Fund: Cases No. 51-60

Published 6:03 pm, Saturday, December 21, 2013

Following a tradition marking its 30th year, The Advocate and Greenwich Time, in conjunction with Family Centers and Person-to-Person, have launched the Giving Fund, which gives members of the community a chance to help neighbors in need.

Requests are collected through the agency's programs and published with details for residents who want to donate.

All of the money raised goes directly to the clients. The newspapers have been involved in holiday campaigns since 1983, and raised more than $85,000 last year (2012-13).

The newspapers will publish the cases in print Thursdays and Sundays until the beginning of January and maintain a full list online. Donations can be made at www.stamfordadvocate.com/givingfund.

Case No. 51: John is a single father of two teenage girls. While he does his best to provide for them, he cannot seem to get out of the perils of low-income housing. John suffers from several medical issues that prevent him for working. His medical issues require specialized care and he needs to travel to New Haven several times a month for appointments. Since he cannot afford a monthly train ticket, John has been neglecting his medical care. A gift of $800 would allow John to purchase a train pass for a few months.

Case No. 52: Mandy is a teen mother who is unable to attend school because her daughter has an autoimmune disorder and cannot go to daycare. Since she has to stay home with her baby, Mandy receives individual tutoring. She would like to get her driver's license so she can take her daughter to Yale and Waterbury for her specialist visits 1-2 times per month. A gift of $695 would allow Mandy to take a driver's ed class.

Case No. 53: Rachelle and her husband are the parents of a 2-year-old boy. Due to their limited income, they have been living with many family members in a very small house, causing daily chaos and increasing tension. Rachelle, her husband and their son share a very tiny bedroom, which is their only option for privacy. They have been saving money for over a year to rent a house or apartment. A gift of $500 would help toward a security deposit, allowing them to have the space, independence and intimacy they need as a family.

Case No. 54: Mary is a single mom who suffers from a seizure disorder. Since the onset of the disorder, she has been unable to work. She has devoted herself to her 11-year-old daughter. She fears that she will lose their housing because she cannot pay her bills. She will also be filing for bankruptcy. Mary desperately needs money to pay her electric bill and gas bills amounting to $14,000. She would benefit from receiving $800 toward her bills.

Case No. 55: John has a terminal illness. Currently, he is homeless and travels from one family member's couch to another. He is dedicated to his health and he would like to enhance his treatment by eating healthy fruits and vegetables. John would benefit from a gift of $250 so he can afford more organic and whole foods.

Case No. 56: John and Debbie have three special needs children. One child suffers from a severe form of autism, another has MS and the oldest is legally blind. Both Debbie and John work long hours to support their family, but they barely scrape by. They live in public housing and struggle to pay rent each month. Meanwhile, their electric bill is overdue and they are at risk of losing their power. A gift of $800 would help this family pay off some bills and breathe a little easier this holiday season.

Case No. 57: Brett is a 56-year-old male who has been living with HIV for nearly 10 years. This past summer, he had to travel down South to attend the funeral of his mother. This was not easy for him, as he lives on a fixed income. Since then, Brett got behind in rent, electricity and has not been able to buy as much food each month just to catch up. A gift of $500 would help Brett pay for basic living necessities and get back on his feet.

Case No. 58: Gary is a 66-year-old man living in Stamford who is struggling financially. He is unable to work due to a medical disability and is trying to survive on very little income. Gary had been the primary care giver to his mother who passed away almost eight months ago. Since her passing, he has been very sad, rarely leaving his home. He tries to keep busy by focusing on fixing up the home in which he grew up in so that he can either remain there or sell it. Because he has very little money to do this, he relies on scraps that he receives from local contractors. He tries as hard as he can to not turn on his heat for fear that he will spend what little money he has left. A gift of $800 will help him to afford his heating bills and therefore stay warm through the winter months.

Case No. 59: Amy was recently reunited with her five children -- ages 2 through 10 -- after a battle with substance abuse. She is currently unemployed and takes care of her two younger children during the day. Amy has applied for daycare at a licensed facility near her home, and she wishes to attend school to obtain a nurse's aide certification. Recently, Amy was in a minor car accident, which resulted in extensive car repairs. A gift of $800 would help this single mother make the repairs necessary to her car.

Case No. 60: Darlene is a loving mother and grandmother. She was recently laid off, and is currently getting by working a part time job which is 15 hours a week. Darlene makes enough to pay her rent but struggles to pay other bills. A gift of $413.57 would help pay for her overdue electricity bill.